


[V. Grieving Heart]

by ariofthesea



Category: Adventure Time
Genre: Afterlife, Gen, Pre-Ooo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-01
Updated: 2013-05-01
Packaged: 2017-12-10 01:42:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/780320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariofthesea/pseuds/ariofthesea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The epilogue to "The Unsung."</p>
            </blockquote>





	[V. Grieving Heart]

Dimensions away from the living, through the echo chambers of a land of the dead, a human woman with long, black hair heard whispers about the annihilation of all life in her world.  Indeed, this woman, who called herself Lithe, assumed that she had been one of the many who had perished on the day the war resumed.  Yet it wasn’t until that moment that she learned that the conflict had escalated to such devastating heights.

 

Upon hearing this, her grief consumed her.  She spoke to no one, her head down wherever she went.  Some of the denizens, who were from different universes and therefore didn’t know much about the details of the war on Earth, eventually questioned the woman’s sorrow.  Lithe answered quite simply:

 

“I had a child, and I died too soon to be with her in her final moments.”

 

One of the denizens suggested that perhaps the child was simply on her way to the land, which she referred to as the 23rd Dead World.  Lithe shook her head in response.

 

“I remember coming here right after everything went black.  That felt like so long ago already.  If my Marcy was going to join me, in _this_ land of the dead in particular—why isn’t she here?”

 

No one responded as the woman walked away.

 

***

Not much time passed from one wave of echoes about the destruction on Earth to the next.  The second time, it was confirmed that a man and a small child had somehow survived, and that they were traveling together.  When the woman asked for more information from a random denizen, he replied that the only other thing he heard, but he was not entirely certain was true, was that the child was roughly three or four years old.  For Lithe, that was more than sufficient.

 

***

In order to even hope to peer into whatever remained of her world, Lithe had to contact the overseer of the 23rd Dead World.  Anyone who wished to speak with this individual had to stand on a line rumored to have a waiting period of “at least 40 years.”  Lithe did not hesitate to approach the line and assume her position.  Considering she was going to have to adapt to a life where time had no meaning, she figured that a few decades wouldn’t be too much to spare.

 

***

Lithe’s wait lasted about 35 years.  She had hoped in vain that more echoes about the two survivors on Earth would reveal anything more about who they were.  Alas, nothing more had been said, as nothing else of interest must have happened on Earth since then.

 

When Lithe reached the entrance to the overseer’s domain, a bright, blue light poured through the massive doors as they opened for her.  A small, wizened woman in brown robes sat cross-legged before her.  The blue radiance of a large globe behind the woman cast the front of her tiny figure in shadow.

 

“I am the Overseer of the 23rd Dead World.  What is it you seek, my child?”

 

“I want to know more about those two survivors on Earth.  What can you tell me about them?”

 

The old woman’s posture and expression relaxed. 

 

“Anything.  Everything.  Heck, I’ll _show_ it to you instead.  I’m an over _seer_ , after all.”  After letting out a chuckle, the old woman then held out her hand.  “However, this service comes with a price.  I require something that was dear to you in life.”

 

Lithe unfastened one of the necklaces she wore, which Marceline had made for her. 

 

“Will this do?”

 

The ruler leaned in and examined it closely.  She then shook her head.

 

“Sorry, dearie.  I need something more.” 

 

The mere thought of what Lithe planned to offer next made her stomach sink, but considering all else she had lost, it had little value to her anymore.  She weaved her fingers through her raven hair and looked at the old ruler with a determined gaze.  After a long few moments of silence, the woman answered:

 

“Yes.  This fits the bill.”

 

She motioned for Lithe to sit down in front of her as she summoned a sickle into her left hand.  Once she was comfortable, Lithe felt the Ruler lift all of her hair at once.  She bit her lip in an attempt to fight back the tears that pricked her eyes.

 

“It’s all right.”  The old woman leaned in and whispered, “I’ve seen _her_ eyes.”

 

The moment Lithe gasped at the revelation, the Overseer of the 23rd Dead World sliced off her hair with one upward flick of the sickle.  As the heap of dead black hair collapsed on Lithe’s feet, the remaining uneven hair on her head rustled against the now exposed back of her neck.  She then turned at stared at the old lady in shock, who in turn smiled. 

 

“The child.  I’ve seen glimpses of her, and now that I’ve met you, I recognize those eyes.”

 

“Child?  Still?  But I’ve been waiting for so long, and—” 

 

The old women silenced her by squeezing her hand.  “Time flows differently here.”  She then lifted Lithe’s hand and brought it close to the globe.  “And I think that’s all you’ll want to know, considering what you’re about to see.  Now, are you ready?”

Lithe nodded, and the Overseer placed her hand on the globe.

 

Images of burning buildings, overturned cars, collapsed highways, and strewn debris flooded Lithe’s mind.  Though she at first felt too overwhelmed by the rush and almost withdrew her hand, she then saw the child.  Grey skin, pointed teeth, ebony hair, those eyes filled with horror and tears, and that voice crying out “Mommy!”—

 

Her Marceline had survived, but what can a survivor left with nothing do?  Alas, she would never hear her mother trying to call back and comfort her from dimensions away. 

 

Both dead mother and living child fell silent when a peculiar man with white hair and blue skin ran over to the girl and wiped her tears away.  Moments later, he handed her a stuffed bear, which she embraced tightly.  She then looked up at him with eyes filled with hope, and he introduced himself to her as Simon.

 

Lithe clutched her chest, unable to understand what she felt.  How could she?  How could anyone in the afterlife comprehend a moment with the power to make even a long dead heart flutter, if only for just one beat? 

 

But Lithe swore hers fluttered more than once. 

 

She briefly witnessed the nights Marceline woke up from nightmares, only to have Simon lull her fears away.  She glimpsed at the moments where he had to be firm with her, which were followed by his explanation that he had to be stern to prevent her from getting hurt.  She felt a smile tug at the corners of her quivering lips as he played “television” with her, or sat her down on his lap and taught her how to play acoustic guitar.  Indeed, there were quite a few worrisome moments of him putting a crown that changed him momentarily, and usually Marceline was off hiding when this happened.  Still, taking in to consideration all of the goodnight kisses on the forehead, all of the piggyback rides offered, all of the joy over finding frozen meals, the laughter, the hope he gave her, and even some of the tears—

 

Marceline had that someone Lithe prayed for, that someone who had it in his heart to be mother and father to her once suffering child.

 

And with that, Lithe pulled her hand back to wipe both the fresh and stale paths of joyous tears that cascaded down her face. 

 

Few will ever know what it means to heal a grieving mother’s heart.  But the mother, no matter where she may be, will always be thankful, and she will always remember who mended it. 


End file.
